Electrically-heated instrument



F. KUHN AND L. H. THOMAS.

ELECTRICALLY HEATED INSTRUMENT.

"woman mu) JUNE 11. I920.

L,356,071 Patented 0m. 19, 19:10.

35., 2mm M164 hm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK KUHN am) LAWRENCE H, tmomas, or DETnom-mIcHIGAN ASSIGNOBS To AMERICAN ELECTRICAL HEATER- COM RATION OF MICHIGAN.

PANY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPO- ELECTRICALL'Y-HEATED INSTRUMENT.

sp'e fl i m of Letter-5 Patent p .latented Oct. 19, 1920.

i Applleation flled June 11, 1920. Serial Ho. 388,230. l

Be it known that we,'FnANn IKUHNandw LAWRENCE H. Tuormis, each a Qltimnof'the 2 United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of W'ayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new" and useful Improvements in Electrically-Heated Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to electrically heated instruments, being more particularly designed for use in connection lwit electrically heated sad irons, and the invention consists in the novel construction of means for housing the terminal block as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a portion of a sad-iron to which my improvement is applied;

F ig. 2 is a perspective view of the removable cover;

and

Fig. 4 is plan view.

In the manufacture of electrically heated sad irons, as. well as other electrically heated instruments, it is usual to carry the'terminal contacts out from the casing through an in sulator block. vThis block is apertured for the passage of the terminals therethrough and is mounted upon the portions of said terminals which extend upward from the heating unit, but externally the block must fit an aperture in the housing which surrounds theunit. It is difficult to obtain such exactness in the construction of the heating unit that the terminal block will exactly register with the aperture in the housing so that more or less clearance must be provided for the block in said aperture. Furthermore, where the terminals extend out from the housing at an oblique angle, this necessitates forming a boss or projection upon the housing to surround the block, which renders the finshing of the housing more difficult. lVith my improvement perfeet registration is obtained by forming the portion of the housing which surrounds the block separate from the housing which.incloses the unit, and -this also facilitates the finishing of the housings. Furthermore, by making the block housing of a stamping the Fig. 3 is a similar view of the attachment;

unit housing may j be .formed from cast metal without necessity of eithercushioning the aperture for the block or'the form ing of the saine toclosely fit the block.

v As specifically shown, A is the base of a sad iron, B is the electrical heating unit therefor, which is clamped in position by the pressure plate C and clamping screws D These screws have threaded portions for engaging the nuts E that clamp the pressure plate and upward extensions which pass through the housing or cover plate F, which incloses the unit. They'are also used for se uring the handle G to saidhousing bv means of the nuts H. I are the terminals extending upward from the unit within the housing F and J is the insulator block aper tured for the passage of said terminals.

Instead of forming the housing 1* to fit above ,the block J, an aperture K is formed therein of, suflicient size to receive the block with the clearance,*thercbyproviding for any inaccuracies in registration. L is a sheet metal stamping, which forms'a housing for the projecting portion of the block and which is provided with a rcarwardly extending shank M apertured for the passage of the stud or clamping screw D. This shank is preferably embossed to form a spacer between the housing F and the handle G and the aperture in the shank is Suiiiciently enlarged so as to permit adjustment of'the member L with respect to the block J.

IVith the construction described, the housing F prevents a flat upper face, which may be readily finished as there are no obstructing projections. The housing L'may also be separately finishedw In assembling, after the housing F is placed uqpn the base A, the shank M of the Housing issleeved upon the screw D and said member is engaged with the block-J. The handle is then placed upon the stud and the whole clamped by the nut H. This will bind the parts together, so that the housing L will retain the block J and prevent displacement thereof.

To guide the connector socket into engagement with the terminal posts, a guide ring N is preferably mounted upon the handle G, but this feature forms no part of the invention.

'hat we claim as our invention is:

1. The combination with an electrical heating unit, terminals rejecting therefrom and an insul tor b ock mounted on f said terminals, of housing for inclosin said unit aperturedfor the passage of sai block, anda sepa housin or casing for the block secured to said Y relative thereto.

2. The combination with an electrical from, an insulatorgblockfmounted' on said terminals and a Q passageof said block'lt erethrough, and a separate housin of easing fitting about. the

- clamp rtion of sai blockprojecting through said first-mentioned housing, said separate housing being adjustableiwith respect to said first mentioned housing md means for g the two housings in fixed relation to each other. f l

, 3.. The combination with an I. 7 electrical heating unit, terminals-therefor projectin obliquel therefrom and an insulator bloc mounte 'on said termina1s, of a housing assageof said terminals and insulator bloch therethrough .and pro vidinglclearancelto compensate for inaccuapertured for the racies in registratiomjand a separate casing orhous'ing complementary to said first-men-. tioned housing and engaging the portion of A said insulator block pro ectin beyond said first-mentioned housing, an A means for, clamping said housings directly and in fixedrelation to each other. l

[4. The combination with a sad iron, of a an electrical heating unit therefor, terminals rejecting from .saidunitand a terminal lock mounted on said terminals, a housing for inclosing said unit, a clamping stud for said unit projectin u ward'and through said housin a hen le or said housing, and a housing $01 a portion' of said insulator block projecting ,through said first-meurst-menti'onedhousing and having a limited adjustmentheating a unit, terminals projecting there-l apertured-ior the iaig an closely fitting said insulator block and covering said a erture.

6. In an e ectrically heated sad iron, the combination of a base, a heating unit, a clamping plate for said heating unit, a housing or cover, plate for inclosing said heating unit and clamping plate, terminals for said unit projecting outward through an aperture in said housing, an insulator block mounted on said terminals arranged in said aperture and projecting beyond said housng, ,a handle, ac amping screw for attachngsaid, handle and housing to said base,

and an auxiliaryhousing for inclosing the projectingportio'n of said insulator block and coverin said aperture,-being provided with a shan secured between said handle and housing by said clamping screw.

In an electrically heated sad iron, the combination with a base, of a heating unit mounted thereon, a housing or cover plate for inclosing said unit, terminals for said unit projecting outward through an 'aperture in said housing, a terminal block mounted on said terminals located in said aperture and projecting bevond said housing, a bandle, a clamping screw for securing said handlev and housing to said base, and an auxilhousing for fitting said insulator block covering said aperture, an auxiliary housing consisting of a sheet metal stamping 'providedwith a shank aperturcd for the 'aSsage of said clamping screw and secured tween saidihandle an housing. 8. In electrically heated instrument,

' the combination with a heating unit, of a housing for inclos ng the same having a flat top, terminals for said housing projecting outward through an aperture in said flat to an insulator block mounted on said terminals located within said aperture and projecting beyond said housing, and an auxil iary housing formed ot a sheet metal stamping for fitting said insulator block, inclosing the projecting portion thereof and covering said aperture, and means for clamping sai auxiliary housing to saidofirsbmentioned housing, permitting a limited adjustment relative thereto.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

FRANK KUHN. LAWRENCE H. THOMAS. 

